Automatic circuit interrupter



March 5, 1929.. G. HESSE 1,704,288

AUTOMATIC CIRGUIT INTERRUPTER Filed Feb. 18. 1922 INVENTOR. ML

Patented Mar. 5, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE HESSE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRIC SIGNFLASHER CORPORATION, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OFCALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

Application filed February 18, 1922. Serial No. 537,448.

My invention primarily relates to means for controlling the circuit ofelectric flash signs; and the object thereof is to produce a device bymeans of which the times at which an electric flash sign will be activeand inactive will be automatically controlled. A further object is toproduce a device in which the times of activity and inactivity of thesign can be easily changed. "While my device is primarily designed forelectric flash signs, ll do not restrict myself to such use as it isadapted for other uses.

In the drawings forming a part of this application, Fig. 1is a frontelevation of my device with the circuits active but with the controlvalve in section. central vertical section of Fig. 1. Fig..3

' is a side elevation of my. device with the circuits interrupted orinactive.

Referring to the drawings, 5 is the base of my device of insulatingmaterial. Secured to base 5 is a bottom casing 6 from the bottom 7, ofwhich projects upwardly about half way, an air tube whose lower portionis thicker than the upper portion 9. The lowest part or bottom portion10 of the air tube projects below the bottom of 7. Portion 10 is closedat the lower end, except at the inlet port 11. An outlet port 12 justbelow bottom 7 is controlled by a screw 13 which regulates the passageof air therethrough. A. ball check 14 prevents air from passing out ofport 11. The side walls, and bottom, and the air tube are all preferablycast integral as shown, but may be made of separate parts if desired. Awasher 15 surrounds portion 9 of the air tube and rests upon the thickerlower ortion and prevents the splashing of liquid 16 with which thelower portion of easing 6 is filled. when the device is in use. Asolenoid 17 is secured to base 5 and rests upon casing 6 and forms thetop thereof. The solenoid has a core 18 which projects into casing 6 andhas attached thereto an inverted cup 19, which cup at the start of theenergizing of the solenoid extends to near the bottom of the liquid. Theupper portion of core 18 is stepped and nonmagnetic, and the upper end20 is quite small and projects above the winding 21 and has securedthereto a fiber collar 22 which is provided with a neck 23. At the startof the energizing of the solenoid this collar rests upon the inner endof lever 24, and holds said lever horizontal as shown in Figs.

l and 2. Lever 24 is mounted on pin 25. Pin 25 is mounted in ears 26attached to the top plate 27 of the solenoid, which projects at one sidefor that purpose. The outer end of lever 24 is thicker and heavier thanthe inner end and has secured thereto a spring 28 which projects towardthe inner end and carries a contact 29. Contact 29 engages contact 30 atthe start of energizing the solenoid and spring 28 is flexed, as bestshown in Fig. 2. Contact 30 consists of a screw which holds one end ofthe winding of the solenoid. A loose nonmagnetic washer 31 separates theinner end of lever 24 from pole piece 32. While solenoid 17 isenergized, it magnetizes washer 31 through pole piece 32, therebyholding contacts 29 and 30 in engagement until washer 31 is pried loosefrom 32 by shoulder 45 of plunger 18. Mounted on the base are bindingposts 33-' 34-35 and 36. Posts 33 and 34 are connected by bus bar 37.Post 35 is connected by bus bar 38 with contact bar 39 mounted on thebase. Post 36 is connected by bus bar 40 with contact bar 41. These busbars are shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. A contact washer 42 rests uponbars 39 and 41. Wire 43" is connected to post 34 and to a source ofenergy not shown. Post 34 is also connected to the winding of thesolenoid. The outer end of lever 24 is connected by wire 43 to post 35.Wire 44 leads to and forms part of the flasher sign circuit, being thereturn wire. The other side of the flasher sign circuit is connected topost 33 by wire 45. The flasher signs are not shown, as they are of anydesired construction.

Operation.

When my apparatus is in the position shown ,in Figs. 1 and 2 all thecircuits are closed and the solenoid is energized and draws core 18upward, which carries cup 19 and collar 22 upward. As cup 19 goes up,air comes into the cup through ports 11 100 and 12. Collar 22 engageswasher 42 and raises it off bars 39 and 41 thereb breaking the circuitto the flasher sign. Tn its upward movement shoulder 45 of core 18engages and raises washer 31, and lever 24 105 assumes the positionshown in Fig. 3, thereby separating contacts 29 and 30 and the solenoidis de-energized. The weight of 9 core 18, cup 19, and collar 22 causesthese parts to descend. The rapidity of descent 110 of these parts iscontrolled by the rate of escape of the air from cup 19 through port 12thereby determining the length of time that the flasher sign shallremain inert and the number of times it will be active in any giventime. As soon as washer 42 engages bars 39 and 41, and contacts 29 andare engaged, the solenoid is again energized and the operation isrepeated.

By this construction it will be seen that I have provided a switchdevice that will work on an alternating current. By placing removablewashers 46 upon collar 22 the time of opening the circuit can beshortened, and the time of inaction lengthened. It will be seen that theengagement of contacts 29 and 30 flexes spring 28 and that the contacts29 and 30 remain in engagement a short 7. time after the inner end oflever 2 leaves the position shown in Fig. 2. By regulating the speed atwhich the air escapes through port 12 the number of times the solenoidis energized or de'energized in a given time can be changed, by havingthe bottom of cup 19 slope away from the plunger if any liquid getsabove the cup it nonmagnetic portions, the smaller portions beingnonmagnetic and the magnetic portion being connected to said cup; liquidin said casing surrounding a portion of said tube; a washer surroundingthe smaller portion of said tube, and resting on the larger portionthereof; a contact mounted in the top of said magnet and connecting tothe winding; a lever rockably mounted on the top of said magnet; aspring connected to said lever, a contact carried by said spring andadapted to engage the other contact and flex the spring; a nonmagneticwasher surrounding the upper and nonmagnetic end of the core of themagnet between the lever and pole piece; a nonmagnetic collar secured tothe upper part of said core; a base to which said magnet is secured;contact bars secured to said base, binding posts secured to said base,connections from said posts to said bars, one of said posts beingconnected to said spring and the other post being adapted to beconnected in the circuit; and a magnetic washer upon said bars andadapted to be raised off the bars upon the upward movement of thecollar.

2. In a device of the class described, a

solenoid, an operating circuit therefor, a

switch in said circuit composed of a fixed and a movable contact, saidmovable contact being carried on the inner end of a pivoted lever whoseouter end is heavier than the inner end; means carried by said solenoidto hold said lever with its contact engaging the other contact while thesolenoid is energized; and other means operated by the solenoid to movesaid lever at stated-periods oftime to cause the disengagement of saidcontacts whereby the solenoid circuit is broken.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 6th day of February, 1922.

GEORGE HESSE.

